In Classification and Determination of Constitution in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the China Association of Chinese Medicine classifies constitutions of the human body into nine types, including yin-yang harmony constitution, yang deficiency constitution, yin deficiency constitution, qi deficiency constitution, phlegm-dampness constitution, damp-heat constitution, qi depression constitution, blood stasis constitution, and allergic constitution, most of which belong to sub-healthy states.
The main symptom of blood stasis constitution is sluggish circulation of the blood, which is mainly caused by dysfunction of internal organs due to prolonged depression of emotion and volition or long-term residence in cold places, and mainly occurs in relatively thin people. The clinical manifestation is as follows: when blood stagnates at a certain place of the internal organs or of main and collateral channels, a pain is incurred at a fixed place, and the pain cannot be relieved with warmness, and even leads to the formation of a lump. For people with such constitution, some have senile plaques even when they are not old enough, and some often suffer from a pain in a certain place of the body. For example, the female easily have dysmenorrhea in the menstrual period; the male usually have bruises on their bodies, and the pain in the body worsens at night, etc.
Such sub-healthy constitution as blood stasis constitution belongs to chronic diseases and has a relatively long disease course, and requires a long-term medication and gradual conditioning, in order to achieve the effects of consolidating the vital essence and strengthening the origin, and strengthening the body resistance to eliminate pathogenic factors. The drug forms commonly used in the traditional Chinese medicine are decoctions and Chinese patent medicine such as pills and the like. Decoctions usually have relatively good efficacy, but the administration thereof is complicated, and the taste thereof is poor. If the decoctions need to be prepared for a long time, it is difficult for a patient to keep taking the decoctions. Moreover, the efficacy of the pills is relatively poor.
It is mentioned in the Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor that “the superior physician prevents illness, the mediocre physician attends to impending illness, and the inferior physician treats actual illness”, wherein the phrase “prevent illness” means taking corresponding measures to prevent the occurrence and development of diseases. The body constitution determines the health of people and susceptibility to diseases. It is believed in the traditional Chinese medicine that since the human beings live in the natural world, physiological functions of the human body usually change with seasons, that is, “correspondence between man and nature”. Winter is the season when the human body “stores energies”, thus appropriate nourishment can enhance the constitution, ward off diseases and strengthen the body, and prolong life, that is, conditioning in winter or nourishing in winter commonly mentioned in the traditional Chinese medicine. For the sub-healthy population with blood stasis constitution, a solid oral paste with a higher drug concentration and good taste, and being convenient to carry more meets requirements of modern people.